Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Certain dessertsfeel so old-timey they remind me of a childhood spent chasing apron strings in grandma's kitchen, even if it is an imagined memory 8). The fact is that my grandmother survived the Cultural Revolution and raised 6 strong daughters, my mom included. But what she wasn't was an enthusiastic cook, and no baker at all. To this day, you see, it's rare for Chinese homes to have ovens. I hear it's something to do with the expense of heating and that bakeries offer such cheap, fresh, and tasty fare that home baking doesn't seem worth the effort to most (hard to imagine).

To get back on topic, this lemon sponge pie is one of those treats that just seems to turn back the clock. Yet, apart from its vintage charm, its taste makes it truly deserving of being rediscovered and appreciated today. It consists of a luscious, tart sponge pudding sandwiched between flaky pastry and a toasted meringue-like topping. Mine was uber oozy and would've sliced up better with 5 more minutes of baking. But one bite was all it took to wipe away all thoughts but wonderment at such a sublime blend of textures and sweet tart flavors. We're "working hard" to revive this treat -- there's hardly a slice left since it came out of the oven a day ago O=). Join our cause...or tell us of other heirloom desserts that should come back into fashion!

Speaking of my grandmother, I'm actually leaving this Sunday for China to visit her and the rest of my extended family for 2 weeks. I honestly can't wait to see them and catch up on the last 4 years since I was last there. But of course I'll miss P, my friends, and all of you! So when Sean of CSN Stores asked me to host a giveaway on my site, I jumped at the chance to show appreciation to all my lovely readers.

CSN Stores has a lot of sites with fabulous selection, the main ones being Cookware.com, Allbarstools.com, Allchildrensfurniture.com, and Allmodern.com. Plus they have over 200 other sites. Between all of them, I bet you could get nearly anything you'd want for your kitchen, apartment, or house. I even found some cute bunk beds that look perfect for my 2 much younger sisters in the kids beds section.Okay, now's the time to let your eyes on the prize. CSN Stores has agreed to give this Set of 4 Kaiser Noblesse Mini Springform Pans to one lucky reader. These are so fun and versatile, I had to pick them, and while it's not a requirement ;p, I'd love to see what adorable treats the winner makes with them. Here's how to enter this giveaway:1. You must reside in the US or Canada (sorry to my overseas readers!)2. Leave a comment with your e-mail address.3. For a second entry, become a follower of OR subscriber to this blog (but only if you really are interested in the content ^_^), and leave a comment telling me you became or already were one.4. For a third entry, link to this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, then leave a comment letting me know.5. Visit one of these great CSN Stores websites: Cookware.com, Allbarstools.com, Allchildrensfurniture.com, and Allmodern.com.

Easy, right? Just be sure to enter before12:00 pm on April 20th, which is when I'll randomly select the winner. Good luck!

XIAOLU'S NOTE: As I've done before, to bring out the citrus flavor even more, I used a technique from Dorie Greenspan. I rubbed all the zest into the sugar until it was fragrant with orange. I added this where the original recipe says to add sugar.

In a separate large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the lemon mixture and beat them together thoroughly.

Fold the lightened lemon mixture into the remaining egg whites, stopping when there are no white streaks remaining. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate. Bake until golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. (A layer of lemon will settle to the bottom and a soft meringue-like topping to float to the top.) Serve with sweetened whipped cream if desired.

Also, I took a look at your banana bread recipes and they do look quite different from the typical banana bread. I like the lime glaze idea. I might do it in cupcake form but I'm definitely open to possibilities!

Love your blog! Just discovered it a couple of weeks ago.. and have been enjoying it. Love anything lemon, this pie looks delicious, will definitely give it a try. Please enter me in the drawing! I happily became a follower, and listing you on my blog roll.

I found your blog through another blog (I don't remember which one) and I love it! Your pictures are great and the recipes that I have tried are delicious. I also just became an official follower today so that I can keep up with all your posts. Thanks for the great content!

This looks wonderful, I love that you rediscovered it! Have a fabulous time in China! My mom recently gave me some similar cookware, so I don't want to take that away from any of your other readers!! Great contest, though!

I am in love with sponge pies even though I've never had one!! I've seen them on a few people's blogs recently and they just look so amazing. Have an awesome time in China! =) Those springform pans are an awesome giveaway - too bad I already have them!

I would LOVE to play with those springform pans. Your Lemon Sponge Pie looks amazing and I love anything lemon so I'm excited to try it. (My contact form e-mails me, don't want the bots to find my e-mail!)

I have to admit that this is my first time visiting your site and the owl cupcakes brought me over .I love them and will be making them for my bosses birthday this thursday, so thanks for the idea. As for the giveaway I cant tell you how long I have been looking for those mini springform pans! I am a sucker for everything in mini size. Thanks for the ideas!

My husband's grandmother taught me how to make this pie while I was in college. It was/is his favorite and it is what won me his heart. I had been told that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. :) Her original recipe came from the Westinghouse Betty Furness Cook Book and I have yet to know anybody else that can make it as well as she did. :) I think I'll bake a few up tomorrow in celebration of her teaching me to bake it 7 years ago around this date. :)